Waiting
by An Unknown Number
Summary: L was always waiting for Kira. Possible spoilers.


Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note.

He didn't mind waiting for Kira to make the next move.

He was good at being patient. The bait was set and all that remained was for Kira to take it. He sat hunched over the computer monitor, only half listening to the broadcast, not really expecting anything to happen. The odds of Kira being in the very first place he picked were near impossible to measure.

But something _had_ happened. The convict known as Lind.L.Taylor had collapsed, clutching at his heart. Almost immediately the TV crew rushed onto the set, dragging the unfortunate victim away from the cameras. The channel switched over to a blank screen and the letter 'L' appeared in the centre. Shocked for a brief moment, he forgot that this was where he was supposed to address Kira.

Hastily switching on the mike and unable to hide the surprise in his voice, he talked directly to the killer. His speech ended in the threat that Kira would be bought to justice. He smiled as the broadcast was cut, the first genuine smile for years.

_I know _where_ you are. Now I just need to find out _who_ you are._

Yes. He didn't mind waiting for Kira to make the next move.

---

He studied the monitors again. Amane Misa and Yagami Light had been confined for days, even weeks, now and the number of criminals dying of heart attacks had stopped completely. It wasn't enough evidence to have them both convicted but it was enough to have _him_ convinced.

He ignored Yagami Soichiro's restless fidgeting and the despairing glances that Matsuda sent him, even going as far as to ignore Watari's approach with cake. His mind was solely fixed on the youth in the cell. Not Misa. She wasn't clever enough to be Kira, probably just a follower. But Light… Outstanding school reports and IQ levels almost as high as his own…

Blinking, he sat back in the swivel chair, letting his hand drift to the sugary sweets next to the computer. His eyes were still trained on the unmoving murder suspect in the cell. This was taking forever. If Light didn't hurry up and make his move soon, he was going to lose his patience.

_What are you planning now?_

He was always waiting for Kira to make the next move.

---

_Clink, clink, clink._

It was a noise that haunted him late at night, when he allowed himself to be persuaded by Soichiro to let Light sleep. The chain connecting them swayed slightly as Kira turned over in the bed next to him. He couldn't let Light out of his sight for even a second. The others had been convinced that he was innocent, but he knew better.

Now they were chained together. He couldn't let Light be free to kill who he pleased. He made up a story about making sure that Kira had to kill them both to get what he wanted. Everyone swallowed it, everyone but Kira himself. Light knew that he was still suspected.

So now he was sitting in a chair watching the murderer fake sleeping. He didn't like this sitting down and pretending that he didn't know he'd chained himself to a serial killer. Any minute he could fall asleep, only to wake up with a knife at his throat. But that wasn't Kira's style was it?

_What will you do, Light? To get me to tell you my name?_

He hated waiting for Kira to make his next move.

---

He had no evidence. Nothing at all. The thirteen day rule was false; it had to be. Light was Kira, he knew it but he couldn't prove it. To announce that he was going to test the rule would be suicide. He'd seen the glint in Light's eye, Kira had laid a trap and he'd walked straight into it.

The rain strengthened, bashing down on the hunched figure. He didn't know what to do. He'd never felt defeated like this. There had to be a way out. Even as the thought crossed his mind, he shook his head. Of course there wasn't. Kira wouldn't let him get out of this alive.

Someone called him. He ignored it. It was probably just Watari ordering him back inside. He didn't want to go back, back to where he would die. He wanted to stay out in the rain, with the bells. Glancing across the roof, he was surprised to see it was Kira calling to him, not Watari.

Cupping a hand around his ear, he smiled. He had no intention of going back yet. Light would have to step into the rain if he wanted to speak to him. Oddly, Kira walked forwards until he too was drenched. There was silence for a few minutes, broken only by the sound of the rain. The bells had disappeared.

"_What are doing out here Ryuzaki?"_

He was determined not to keep waiting for Kira.

---

This was it. The calm before a storm. He rubbed his soaked hair half-heartedly, glancing at the killer sitting on the steps. Light's smile was so innocent and carefree it was hard to believe that he was a murderer. Sighing he descended until he was sitting next to Light's bare feet.

Overwhelmed by the urge to do something other than sit still he turned so that he was kneeling in front of Kira and took the pale foot in his hand. He ignored the startled cry that Light gave, starting to dry it with his towel. Kira's demand to know what he was doing sounded more like a plea than an order.

He answered slowly, keeping his voice even and his eyes on the floor. It was funny that he was still able to surprise Light, even when he was cornered. But the words that had been playing over and over in his head came out before he could stop them.

_I'm sad._

Suddenly he knew what he was going to do, what he had to do.

He wasn't waiting anymore.


End file.
